Culture involves the handing down of information, traditions, knowledge and skill, views and ideals from one individual to another and across generations by means of social transmission expressed in manufactured objects and behaviour. The evolution of cumulative culture, a human specific capacity, makes possible an inheritance system that is governed by the same Darwinian principles as biological evolution. Cumulative culture has made possible the build-up or ratcheting effect of knowledge and traditions that when put together allow for advanced technology, medicine, education and other highly advanced cognitive processes that characterise humans from non human animals. This dissertation dedicates the first chapter to review the literature pertaining to this topic; describing various types of social learning processes and methodological approaches that are used to query and broadly describe the process of culture in various animals. The following two chapters (2 and 3) present three experiments that provide methodical and systematic exploration of the social transmission process which occurs in chimpanzees; using 3 artificial foraging devices, the 3 studies systematically demonstrate that chimpanzees have the capacity to transmit culture from one individual to another and serially across neighbouring communities- providing laboratory evidence of behavioural variation analogous to that observed in the wild. Chapter 4 then goes on to describe an experiment that tests a number of hypothesised biases in cultural transmission. Looking specifically at social dynamics at play during the transmission of skill within ape groups - I systematically analyse the effects of directed social learning; focusing on kin and status based strategies that are characteristic of group living apes. Chapter 5 is an original, empirical and methodically comparative analysis of hierarchically organized behaviour in human children and chimpanzees using a hierarchically organized artificial fruit. The final chapter (6) discusses the findings of each of the five experiments and compares the results to findings at other captive and wild research sites. I then broaden the topic to explore how the findings relate to broad issues in literature and provide a framework for future research and for understanding the complex mechanisms of intelligent systems.

The aim of this thesis is to obtain a deeper understanding of students’ approaches to musical knowledge as it is distributed through one-to-one tuition in higher music education (HME). With a cultural-psychological perspective according to Bruner, the project was designed as a longitudinal, qualitative study of eight students in the performance program that concludes with a Bachelor of Arts degree in music. Two main musical genres were represented: Western classical music, and jazz and contemporary music. The students had one-to-one tuition on violin, classical guitar, saxophone and electric guitar, and were observed at three consecutive lessons per semester during one academic year. Many-sided data were collected: video recordings of instrumental lessons, semi-structured interviews with students and teachers, and the participants’ diary notes in connection with the observed lessons. In the analysis, the students’ approaches to knowledge of music cultural tools were focused. The results show that the students use three main approaches in relation to one-to-one tuition: adaptation, reflected navigation and indifference. These approaches vary and overlap, and are connected to the local cultural situations that are being studied, as well as to differences by instrument and genre. The different strategies used by the students are discussed in relation to apprenticeship in higher music education, and in relation to the consequences for students’ musical learning and knowledge development. The results are also connected to the Bologna process and the development of research-based teaching in HME. Methodological considerations and suggestions for further research are put forward. / Genom projektet, Instrumenatlisters musikaliska kunskapsutveckling. Finansierat av Vetenskapsrådet / Genom projektet, Vem äger lärandet? Finansierat av Myndigheten för nätverk och samarbete inom högre utbildning

The aim of this thesis is to obtain a deeper understanding of students’ approaches to musical knowledge as it is distributed through one-to-one tuition in higher music education (HME). With a cultural-psychological perspective according to Bruner, the project was designed as a longitudinal, qualitative study of eight students in the performance program that concludes with a Bachelor of Arts degree in music. Two main musical genres were represented: Western classical music, and jazz and contemporary music. The students had one-to-one tuition on violin, classical guitar, saxophone and electric guitar, and were observed at three consecutive lessons per semester during one academic year. Many-sided data were collected: video recordings of instrumental lessons, semi-structured interviews with students and teachers, and the participants’ diary notes in connection with the observed lessons. In the analysis, the students’ approaches to knowledge of music cultural tools were focused. The results show that the students use three main approaches in relation to one-to-one tuition: adaptation, reflected navigation and indifference. These approaches vary and overlap, and are connected to the local cultural situations that are being studied, as well as to differences by instrument and genre. The different strategies used by the students are discussed in relation to apprenticeship in higher music education, and in relation to the consequences for students’ musical learning and knowledge development. The results are also connected to the Bologna process and the development of research-based teaching in HME. Methodological considerations and suggestions for further research are put forward. / Genom projektet, Instrumenatlisters musikaliska kunskapsutveckling. Finansierat av Vetenskapsrådet / Genom projektet, Vem äger lärandet? Finansierat av Myndigheten för nätverk och samarbete inom högre utbildning

Submitted by Edineia Teixeira (edineia.teixeira@unioeste.br) on 2018-02-08T13:21:40Z No. of bitstreams: 2 LUZIA_SILVA2015.pdf: 516247 bytes, checksum: d46e63d73d83a4f15140dc6ee52843d9 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-02-08T13:21:40Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 LUZIA_SILVA2015.pdf: 516247 bytes, checksum: d46e63d73d83a4f15140dc6ee52843d9 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-02-27 / This dissertation is a study on the acquisition of reading and writing for students with visual impairment from the contributions of Historical-Cultural Psychology and Historical-Critical Pedagogy, in order to highlight the importance of literacy in the framework of these students process. Based on the Materialist Historical and Dialectical method proposed by Marx and Engels, the work is characterized by a bibliographic study, based on published sources (books, articles, theses and dissertations). Presents as reference authors who developed their ideas from theories that conceive the subject founded on the historicity and materiality, such as Vygotsky, Luria, Leontiev, Saviani, among others. Therefore, start with the fundamentals that guide the learning processes and human development, with emphasis on the role of technical and psychological tools as a man of aids. Then prioritize the role of education as a socialization tool legacy historically produced by humanity, emphasizing the process of appropriation of reading and writing for students with and without disabilities. Finally, talks on specific issues to the acquisition of reading and writing for students with visual impairments, the teacher's role and the importance of teaching-learning resources. The findings highlight that, when planning the actions and teaching strategies, it is necessary to consider the specifics imposed by blindness or for reduction of visual function therefore hardly get will be successful in the education of students with visual impairment without the educational space is organized so that they participate actively in all the proposed activities and have unrestricted access to information made available to them. / A presente dissertação consiste em um estudo teórico sobre a aquisição da leitura e da escrita por alunos com deficiência visual a partir das contribuições da Psicologia Histórico-Cultural e da Pedagogia Histórico-Crítica, com vistas a evidenciar a importância desse referencial no processo de alfabetização desses alunos. Fundamentado no método Materialista Histórico-Dialético proposto por Marx e Engels, o trabalho caracteriza-se por um estudo bibliográfico, com base em fontes publicadas (livros, artigos, teses e dissertações). Apresenta como referenciais autores que desenvolveram suas ideias a partir de teorias que concebem o sujeito pautado na historicidade e na materialidade, tais como: Vigotski, Lúria, Leontiev, Saviani, entre outros. Para tanto, inicia com os fundamentos que norteiam os processos de aprendizagem e de desenvolvimento humano, com destaque para a função dos instrumentos técnicos e psicológicos enquanto meios auxiliares do homem. Em seguida, prioriza o papel da educação escolar como um instrumento de socialização dos legados produzidos historicamente pela humanidade, com ênfase ao processo de apropriação da leitura e da escrita por alunos com e sem deficiência. Por fim, discorre a respeito de questões específicas à aquisição da leitura e da escrita por alunos com deficiência visual, ao papel do professor e à importância dos recursos didático-pedagógicos. As conclusões destacam que, ao se planejar as ações e estratégias pedagógicas, é necessário que se considerem as especificidades impostas pela cegueira ou pela redução da função visual, pois, dificilmente obter-se-á sucesso na escolarização dos alunos com deficiência visual sem que o espaço educativo seja organizado de forma a que estes participem ativamente de todas as atividades propostas e tenham acesso irrestrito às informações a eles disponibilizadas.

This thesis analyses Succession Planning and Management practices in international organizations, and specifically in UniCredit Group, with the goal of developing recommendations for improvement of UniCredit Group's existing practice. The theoretical part provides background knowledge about generics of succession planning and management, its evolution and connection with other Human Resource processes. It is followed by highlights of acclaimed best practices in mitigating risks in implementing succession planning and management systems. The latter acts as a beginning of the practical background of the thesis, as the empirical study aims at discovering strengths and weaknesses of the UniCredit Group in comparison with the theoretical models and the best practices presentation. Based on the latter, qualitative research has been conducted in cooperation with UniCredit Group's Central and Eastern Europe Sub-holding level HR Business Partners and Specialists. The hypothesis that UniCredit Group has a well-established succession planning and management system (up to the most possible comparison with theoretical models and best practices) has been confirmed. The analysis and synthesis of the results from both the theoretical and empirical part are the basis, on which recommendations have been developed.

Cette recherche s'inscrit en didactique des sciences, à l'intérieur d'un cadre théorique qui s'appuie sur la théorie du développement humain de Vygotski et qui met en avant le rôle du langage dans les apprentissages. L'enseignement apprentissage des sciences à l'école primaire est appréhendé comme l'entrée des élèves dans une première culture scientifique visant la construction de savoirs scientifiques et de pratiques de ces savoirs. La recherche porte sur le concept de vivant dans une analyse épistémologique est réalisée avant l'élaboration d'un dispositif didactique et sa mise en œuvre dans des classes de CP et CE1. L'analyse des données recueillies (productions individuelles des élèves et échanges oraux collectifs) s'organise autour de deux axes. Le premier vise à caractériser des processus d'acculturation scientifique scolaire relatifs au concept de vivant à travers des indicateurs, signalant l'entrée des élèves dans la culture scientifique visée, et des conditions, rendant possible ces processus. Les évolutions conjointes du positionnement énonciatif et des conceptions des élèves permettent de définir l'acculturation scientifique comme un changement de point de vue sur le vivant qui devient un objet de savoir dans un cadre scientifique, ce qui joue sur le processus de conceptualisation. Le deuxième axe s’intéresse à la dimension développementale des apprentissages réalisés autour du concept de vivant. Cette étude met au ,jour des traces de développement chez plusieurs élèves, ce qui permet d'avancer l'idée qu'un enseignement engageant les élèves dans des processus d'acculturation scientifique peut contribuer à leur développement. / This research in didactis of science adopts a theoretical framework based on Vygotski's theory of human development and focuses on th role of language in learning. Teaching and learning science at primary school is regarded as pupils' initial entrance into scientific culture to build scientific knowledge and to apply it. The research concerns the concept of living, involving an epistemological analysis, before preparing class situations and implementing them in the first-grade and second-grade classes. The analysis of the data collected (pupil's works and oral interactions) is organised into two research topics. The first aims to distinguish scientific acculturation processes related to the concept of living. Indicator of pupils' acquisition of scientific culture and the necessary conditions are identified, enabling scientific acculturation to be defined as a change in how the living is perceived. Pupils' ideas shift from the everyday world into the scientific world, since pupils popsition themselves in the field of science and they regard living as a scientific concept. The second topic deals with the developmental aspects of learning about the concept of living. The study reveals signs of developmental in several pupils, suggesting that teachers involving pupils in scientific acculturation processes can encourage their development.

Die Anwendung von Deep Learning in der manuellen Montage birgt großes Potenzial, Montagezeiten zu reduzieren und Montagefehler zu vermeiden. Indem der Montageablauf mithilfe einer Kamera erfasst und die aufgezeichneten Bilder durch einen Objekterkennungsalgorithmus analysiert werden, lassen sich Position, Lage und Art der montierten Bauteile bestimmen. Daraus lassen sich wiederum Informationen über Arbeitsschritte, Montagefehler oder den aktuellen Zustand des Produkts ableiten, sodass die Mitarbeiter bei der Montage durch entsprechende Anweisungen unterstützt werden können. Es stellt sich jedoch die Frage, inwieweit gegenwärtige Produkte für den Einsatz von Deep Learning geeignet sind. Nur wenn die zu montierenden Bauteile sicher erkannt werden, ist der Einsatz in der manuellen Montage sinnvoll. Bestehende Gestaltungsrichtlinien adressieren diesen Aspekt bislang nicht. Im Forschungsprojekt wurde daher untersucht, welche Eigenschaften Produkte aufweisen sollten, um eine optimale Objekterkennung zu ermöglichen. Dazu wurden Hypothesen zu positiven und negativen Bauteileigenschaften hinsichtlich der Erkennungsgenauigkeit formuliert und in praktischen Versuchen überprüft. Dabei konnte gezeigt werden, dass alle untersuchten Objekte durch den eingesetzten Objekterkennungsalgorithmus sehr gut detektiert werden. Aus den vorliegenden Forschungsergebnissen lassen sich daher keine Einschränkungen in der Produktgestaltung ableiten.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / Concern has been raised that South Africa does not have a sufficient supply of scientists and engineers in the 21st century. Yet, the potential that resides in learners with cerebral palsy is often not recognised or realised by policy makers. It is argued that society cannot afford to deprive itself of the potential for scientific progress that resides, and all too often remains untapped, in the minds of people with disabilities (Burgstahler, 1994, 1995; Burgstahler and Nourse, 2000). The study contends that the under-representation of black learners with cerebral palsy (from disadvantaged backgrounds) in career fields and higher education programmes related to biology is not unrelated to: (i) our sociopolitical history; (ii) the 'outcome' of a particular method and content of teaching; (iii) lack of role models, i.e. successful professionals with physical disabilities; and (iv) the low expectations of learners, teachers, parents and the society as a whole. The purpose of the study was first of all to listen to the voices of learners with cerebral palsy in an attempt to find out if (and why) they have low expectations regarding career prospects in the biology fields. Secondly, it was to uncover the various barriers that might have contributed to such low expectations and under-representation of learners with cerebral palsy in biology related careers. The central concern of the study was whether or not black learners with cerebral palsy from disadvantaged backgrounds had low expectations of (career) possibilities in biology, and if so, why? A qualitative research design (in terms of five critical stages espoused by Carspecken, 1996) was used as framework for the study. In addition, in-depth interviews were conducted in an attempt to foreground the voices of the learners. An analysis of the results and findings indicated black learners (with cerebral palsy) with above-average performance in biology, mathematics and physical science, expressed an early interest and love for science and biology and a desire to pursue higher education studies related to those fields. However, the study found that learners with cerebral palsy who entered higher education biology and science related programmes did not complete their studies. Furthermore, that the under-representation of black learners with cerebral palsy, especially from previously disadvantaged backgrounds, could be linked to low expectations from teachers, academics in higher education institutions, parents, medical staff and guidance counsellors. The study contends further that if transformation is about removing all forms of discrimination, then the context where the potential of learners are developed - namely the schools, homes, workplace, and higher education institutions - needs to be re-examined. Moreover, the study attempted to raise awareness of the importance of an inclusive biology curriculum that: The study contends further that if transformation is about removing all forms of discrimination, then the context where the potential of learners are developed - namely the schools, homes, workplace, and higher education institutions - needs to be re-examined. Moreover, the study attempted to raise awareness of the importance of an inclusive biology curriculum that: (i) includes flexible teaching approaches, accommodation strategies and assistive technologies that adequately accommodate learners with cerebral palsy in the biology classroom; (ii) explores partnerships between various stakeholders to heighten awareness of mentoring, internship programmes and role models in biology and related careers; and (iii) effectively prepares and facilitates transition of black learners with cerebral palsy to biology related career fields in higher education and the workplace. (i) includes flexible teaching approaches, accommodation strategies and assistive technologies that adequately accommodate learners with cerebral palsy in the biology classroom; (ii) explores partnerships between various stakeholders to heighten awareness of mentoring, internship programmes and role models in biology and related careers; and (iii) effectively prepares and facilitates transition of black learners with cerebral palsy to biology related career fields in higher education and the workplace.

<p>Developing engineering talent in organizations has long been an issue for industries. Notably, with rapidly changing business models and flattened organizational structures, engineers are required to transition into managerial and leadership roles more quickly than ever before. Yet engineers and employers alike often characterize this as a difficult transition. Further, there remains a lack of empirical research on the nature of engineering managerial work practices. To address these issues, this dissertation aims to holistically uncover the experiences of recently transitioned engineering managers. Specifically, the study investigates the meaning-making and experiences of the participants’ transitional journeys and also addresses related questions such as what changes and challenges they face during the transition and how they navigate the challenges associated with the transition. The study is examined through the lens of work-role transition frameworks and models that emphasize the role of the individual in the transition.</p> <p>In order to address the research objectives, an interpretive qualitative study is employed. To explore and understand the lived experiences of recently transitioned engineering managers, I conducted semi-structured interviews with 16 newly transitioned engineering managers at a Telecom firm in the United States. The interviews were then used to develop narrative accounts of participants describing their journeys of transition. The interviews were also analyzed thematically to identify: a) specific patterns in how the participants experience and make sense of their transition to engineering managerial roles; b) changes experienced by engineers during the transition; c) challenges faced by engineers as they transition to managerial roles, and d) new skills developed by participants to navigate the transition. </p> <p>The findings suggest that most engineers struggled with the transition, especially during the early stages. This difficulty in part stems from the various personal changes that they experience as a result of the transition, changes related to their individual cognitive, physiological, and social aspects. Moreover, the transition experiences are also impacted by both the situational factors of the individual (e.g., demographics, career progression) as well as the organizational factors, including HR policies related to training and development, dual pathway offerings, etc. The findings in this study, in part presented as narratives, are expected to contribute to the field of engineering education and practice by providing insights into the experiences of engineering professionals taking up managerial and leadership roles. More specifically, the narratives are expected to serve as examples and provide inspiration for engineers at a variety of career stages. The thematic findings are also expected to help students, engineering educators, engineering leadership faculty, and industry affiliates understand and improve the managerial transition process and associated role expectations, which for the most part, remain largely unexplored. </p>

Despite the growing expectation on corporate Learning &amp; Development (L&amp;D) units to transform practices and roles and take a more strategic role to better meet the needs of lifelong learning and up- and reskilling in organizations, many fail to use technology such as Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) platforms that could support the shift. The aim of this study is to provide a better understanding of why those in L&amp;D who are using MOOC platforms do so and what impact it has on the role of L&amp;D. Empirical data from in-depth interviews with six L&amp;D professionals, with extensive experience from large, global companies, has been employed in this exploratory research. The analysis imply a situation in which MOOC platforms, when used in organizations where employee language, literacy and digital devices are not a limitation, can support in meeting the needs of lifelong learning and up- and reskilling in ways not possible with traditional L&amp;D practices. The findings also indicate that while L&amp;D units in large, global organizations can transform traditional practices and roles and contribute strategically, with the support of MOOC platforms, they struggle to make full use of the platforms due to lack of prioritization in the organization. This could inhibit L&amp;D to fully take on a strategic role. Previous research has not explored the impact and possibilities the use of MOOC platforms can have specifically on the L&amp;D role. The findings provide a novel contribution to L&amp;D research as well as input to professionals in L&amp;D or Human Resource, business leaders, organizational developers and MOOC platform providers in decisions connected to digitalization of corporate learning.